


The beginnings of an assassin.

by IceWolf27



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Gen, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Short Chapters, some strong language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2017-05-21
Packaged: 2018-11-03 08:16:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10963296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IceWolf27/pseuds/IceWolf27
Summary: So I began this story after assassin's creed II was released and posted in on fanfiction.net but has now decided to upload it here.This is the story of how Giovanni was trained to become the assassin he was. With the helpful guidance from La Volpe.





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> This is how I would like to imagine the story began. My vision of Volpe is that he is immortal (and slightly mad but in a good way) and has purple eyes, he will be the main character in my story.  
> Disclaimer: I do not own Assassins Creed or any of the characters but I would love to.  
> 

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief introduction to the narrator La Volpe.

_Bla_ – La Volpe's inner thoughts.  
"Bla" – Talking

It was the spring of 1424, the trees were beginning to bloom. Firenze was finally starting to become stable again after many years of conflict between the many banking families. The young Auditores were doing fine under their father Federico's guidance, he lets the boys run errands for him.

 _That is when he turns to my help, to see what they need to do better. You are wondering who I am? Well my name is La Volpe… Well… My real name is Gilberto, but I call myself La Volpe._ Today I'm keeping an eye on the youngest Giovanni, his skills can go far.  
"Stop right there!"  
But not today it seems. I look down from the rooftop. The guards are after him, he runs north, I run after him and finds a few of my thieves. Even though I only came to Firenze a few years ago, my reputation already reaches as far as Roma, the thieves here see me as their leader. I tell them to get rid of the guards.  
A short while later I find the kid near the Arno, out of breath. I take a look around, it's a quiet day, I can see the Ponte Vecchio Bridge to the east and the Ponte Santa Trinitá to the west. I close my eyes to "see" further. I hear a faint splash, and look east, a woman cries, her child has fallen into the Arno. The child is at the mercy of the currants. As the child comes closer to the Ponte Santa Trinitá, I step closer to the edge of the roof, but the young Auditore quickly jumps in the river to save the child. _For him to see the child… maybe, just maybe this kid, Giovanni has Altaïr's eagle vision. Perhaps it is time for the young Auditores meet me._

——  
The "see further" thing is the eagle vision.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An introduction to Giovanni and Mario's father and La Volpe begins his "training" of Giovanni.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer same a the first part.

Once I was sure that Giovanni and the child, Who i now know was no other than the young Lorenzo de' Medici, was safe on dry land. I made my way to Federico.  
I reach Palazzo de' Auditore and make sure that no one is following me, before I go in.  
Federico is sitting at his desk doing his "banking" work. He has not noticed me yet, behind him hangs a picture of Masyaf, the castle which lies in the Holy land, the head of the Assassin order.  
"Ah! La Volpe! What brings you here?" I look at him and raise an eyebrow.  
"It is about your sons." A flash of fear crosses his face, but he waits for me to continue.  
"I think it is time for them to know about the creed." He frowns.  
"Hear me out Federico," I interrupt before he begins to argue with me. "Mario will make a great mercenary but he has the stealth of a boulder rolling down a mountainside. He has the power, while Giovanni has the skills that is vital for an assassin. The sooner they know the better." He thinks about it and sighs.  
"If you believe it's for the best."  
I smirk. "I do think so. By the way, you are going to get some new friends in a short while." I turn around as if I were about to leave.  
"What do you mean?" He raised his voice a little.  
"Your youngest son saved Lorenzo de' Medici today." I turn my head towards him.  
"I will come by later." I make my way to the door and put my hand on the door handle. "By the way, make sure Giovanni is home, he has a habit of sneaking of to some girl. And this is important." I leave and set out to find Giovanni first before setting off to find myself some Templers to spy on.  
As I make my way through the city, I come across a small group of Templers, I stalk them to hear what they have to say.  
"… I just don't see why that Rodrigo Borgia kid has to be the next Master!" That sounds interesting. I creep closer.  
"I would keep quiet if I were you." One of the Templers says.  
"Si, you never know who might be listening." I sink deeper into the shadows as they pass me. I look at the sky, sunset. I better get back to Federico.

As I reach their home, I can hear an eagle in the distance, I smile and step inside. Both boys are with their father in his study. They don't hear me enter, but the youngest is quick to sense another person in the room. He turns and look at me with a bit of fear. _Then again when you someone appears out of thin air who wouldn't be cautious._ Mario turns his head in the same direction as his brother, he flinched, I smirk. In the low light combined with my dark clothe, I must look like some kind of demon to them. I slowly walk past them to great Federico.  
"Who are you old man?" I raise an eyebrow as I turn to face them. _He did not just call me that, did he?_ I turn my head to Federico with an affronted look.  
"Mario!" Federico raises his voice.  
"Mi dispiace padre." He turns his gaze down. I look back at them, I focus on Mario for a moment causing him to look back up and glare slightly at me.  
"My name is La Volpe," I pause at the sound of a shot snicker. "And I am here to tell you a few things about the Assassin order." Giovanni looks at me with interest but Mario…  
"That is just stories."  
I smirk. "Stories yes, however not a fantasy, but of truth." I can tell Giovanni is very interested, while Mario just looks confused.  
"And this "old" man will teach you the way of the creed." Giovanni has taken his eyes of me and looks at his father.  
"Father, how do you know this man?" _Ah, curiosity, an important trait for an Assassin._ Federico seems to be lost of words.  
"Your father, like myself, are Assassins." Both boys look at their father.  
"Is it true?" Both boys ask in union.  
"Si, my sons, banking is a cover, our order is one of secrets. But I am sure that La Volpe will tell you more." He looks pointy at me. I look at him with the same intensity.  
"They are your sons, it's your duty to tell them." As Federico and I have a glaring match, Mario interrupts.  
"Then why are you here?" I sigh but turn back towards the boys.  
"I am here to teach you the way of Assassins. More correctly…" I move my gaze to look at Giovanni, "… to teach Giovanni, how to use his skills in a more effective way." Giovanni's eyes light up in excitement. Federico looks at Mario.  
"Mario, your uncle will be able to teach you the way of a mercenary." Mario nods.  
"I shall see him if you wish so, padre." I walk over and put my hand on Giovanni's shoulder, "as for you young man, meet me near the Mercato Vecchio district…" Federicos head snaps in my direction at my words.  
"Every thief hangs out there!" I turn my head towards him, "relax. They won't lay a finger on him." _Not yet anyway._ I lean closer to Giovanni, "use your talent." With those words I leave, knowing he would never back down from this little unspoken challenge.

From my place on the roof of San Lorenzo I can watch over Palazzo Medici Riccardi, the young Lorenzo has gotten a cold from his trip into the Arno. I hear soft footsteps behind me.  
"Volpe." It's Federico. I nod my greeting to him as he joins me at the edge of the church.  
"What makes you think that Giovanni can find you, when everyone else have trouble finding you?" I turn to face him.  
"Altaïr." I turn back to see the lights go out in Palazzo Medici. I move along the edge.  
"Explain yourself Volpe." I sigh and move to his side again and whisper.  
"Follow me and I will explain." We make our way down the church and through the city, as we get closer to the Mercato Vecchio district, I turn right and lead us through a maze of abandoned streets and buildings. In front of the one that looks most ramshackle I stop. I look around and Federico does the same, only a few thieves about. We walk into the building. _Ever heard that looks can be deceiving? Well, my home is a perfect example of that, it may look like a ramshackle building, but nothing is wrong inside._  
"Explain yourself Volpe." _How did he ever become an Assassin with impatience like that?_ I walk over to my table and sit on it.  
"Have you ever wondered why Giovanni and yourself are so good at what you do?" He frowns at me. I in return raise an eyebrow.  
"What are you getting at La Volpe?" He asks impatiently. He moves towards the table.  
"What I am getting at, Federico, is nothing really. Just the fact that your family bloodline is connected to Altaïr." _In a second cousin twice removed sort of way but still._ Federico looks like he has seen a ghost.  
"Are you telling me you didn't know?" I smirk at him.  
"How do you know?" I move from the table.  
"As I said in the past: It is my business to know everything." I move to one of the bookcases. I take out a scroll and brings it over to Federico to read.  
"What is this?" He takes the scroll and opens it.  
"A record of Altaïr's relationship with a, lady called Maria." He looks at me.  
"Did they have a child?" I turn my back to him.  
"Yes, but here is the thing… this Maria was a Templar." Again he looks like he has seen a ghost.  
"But that small part of you is what makes you so good at what you do." He seems to shocked to do anything.  
"But how can you be sure?" He asks in a whisper.  
"Altaïr's eagle vision." He raises an eyebrow.  
"But I thought that was just a myth…" I turn my head to him again.  
"That is what I will find out tomorrow." I walk over to him and take the scroll back, as I place it back I remember what the Templers said.  
"Another thing," his gaze follows me as I walk back to the table. "It will seem that the Templar Mastro has died…" I cross my arms.  
"But this is good…" I interrupt him.  
"They have already found a grand Mastro, I will see what I can found out about him. But no doubt that he will be worse than the last." He nods and starts pacing around, I sigh.  
"Go home Federico, and leave Giovanni to me. He might learn something." He smiles.  
"You teaching, I never thought I live to see the day." He leaves.

The next day I wandered around the Mercato Vecchio, it wasn't long before I spotted Giovanni. He was wondering mindlessly around, I got hold of one of my thieves and told him to rob the kid. Just as the thief got close enough to steal from him Giovanni turned causing the thief to abandon the theft. I smirk and walk towards the kid.  
"See some interesting colours?" He snaps round with a startled look on his face. I walk around him forcing him to turn around with me, "do you know what the colours mean?" I start to walk away knowing he will follow.


	3. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter where Giovanni learns about eagle vision.

_"See some interesting colours?" he snaps around with a startled look on his face. I walk around him forcing him to turn around together with me,"do you know what the colours mean?" I start to walk away knowing he will follow._  
———

  
We reach the rooftops and I turn around to face him. "How do you know about that?" I simply look at him and point to the people below. "Try use your talent down there, and I will explain."  
He nods and turns his gaze to the busy street below us. "Now listen, because I am only going to say this once. Most people do not have a real colour, fuzzy grey," I make a flick with my hand like I'm pushing it away. "Those are civilians, the blue colour means friendly, golden colour is your target once you get that far." I notice some guards coming down the street, I lean in closer to Giovanni "And red means… What?" I whisper.  
Giovanni seems to have noticed the guards as well. "What do you think?" he looks up at me a bit unsure. "Enemy?" I smile a bit, "very good, I'm a impressed, but only a little. Don't hesitate you know the answer." Giovanni nods and smiles a little.  
I move away. "Can I ask you a question?" Giovanni turns and catches up to me. I stop and turn to him. "That depends." He looks down at the ground to avoid my piercing stare. "Why do you call yourself ´La Volpe´?" I smile as he looks up again. "Only foxes can match me for cunning." I smirk and he gives a small laugh.  
An eagle cries in the distance, I turn my head to see Giovanni searching the sky for the bird. "You like eagles?" he looks back at me. "I suppose I've always liked them." I raise an eyebrow. "Is that so?" _very interesting._  
As we move down from the roof my gaze moves to the sky again." You should go home, but meet me at the Piazza Della Signoria after sunset." He nods and runs off.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some fun learning to preform the "leap of faith".

I meet up with Federico shortly after my departure with Giovanni. "La Volpe, what news do you bring?" I just stand there looking at him for a moment, while contemplating.  
"Oh! Right." I give a small cough of embarrassment and move my gaze around the room. "Giovanni do show signs of Altaïr's eagle vision." He raises an eyebrow. I speak up before he gets a chance to say anything. "I have asked him to meet me at the Signoria after sunset." He nods absently then frowns in confusion. "What do you expect to teach him there?" I smile. "The leap of faith."  
 _Oh, how I wish I could capture this moment, Federico sitting at his desk quill in hand stopped mid-action, eyes larger than normal._ I try not to laugh. "Alright then," His face returns back to normal again what a shame. "You intend to start with the houses surrounding the Signoria?" I give a small shrug "we'll see." He sighs deeply as I turn to leave.

It was a little after sunset before Giovanni arrived at the Signoria. "You are late." He blushes a little and smiles nervously. "I, ah, had something to, ah, handle." I give him with a stern look. "If you are to become an assassino, you have to be on time." He looks down on the ground. "And you do well to remember the three tenets that our creed follows." He looks back up. "First of all; stay your blade against the flesh of an innocent." He nods but says nothing. "the second is the one that gives us strength, hiding in plain sight. Let the people mask you so you become one with the crowd. Back in the Holy land this was easy seeing that most scholars wore white like assassins. But now we have to be more resource full, especially if the crowd you try to hide in is made up of whores." He smiles, but looks a little confused." You said three. What is the third?" I hum and begin to move away from the streets. "In these modern times, we are not at literal as our ancestors." _Well your ancestors anyway._ "But still we act in secrecy. The third tenet is this; do not compromise the brotherhood." He raises an eyebrow as I stop in the alley near the west façade.  
He looks at me puzzled. "What are we doing here?" a slow smile curl on my lips. _Giovanni is getting scared is he?_ "Follow me." I start to climb up the façade. I hear him scramble to catch up with me. Luckily, for him, I have chosen a night with minimum guards patrolling.

  
I walk towards the clock tower. "follow." Just as I'm about to start climbing again, I hear him make an odd choking sound behind me. I turn to him. "What?" he stands by the battlements and looks up the tower with wide eyes. _Like father like son, I must say._ "You, you don't mean that, that we are going to the top of the tower!" I slowly make my way over to him. "Si, to the top of the tower. I am going to teach you something that is vital for the assassin order." I turn back to the tower. "And what might that be?" I smile and start to climb. "Follow and you will know." I hear him grunt in discomfort but he follows, when he reaches the top he stops and looks around, his eyes filled with wonder. "It's such a beautiful view." I make a noise of agreement, "Listen up, I am going to tell you a little story, a story about a young assassin named Altaïr…" he sits down on the roof. " Altaïr's master once told him and two other assassins to jump off the side of a tower down into a chasm." Giovanni's eyes become large once more and he nervously looks over the side off the tower. I smirk. "However, assassins have a trick that allows us to survive such a jump." He narrows his eyes at me in confusion. "How?" I smile slowly, "what the Templers did not know at the time, was that there were hay stacks under the building they jumped off." Again he looks over the side. He must have seen the small stack of hay below because his face whitens. "What I am going to teach you is that little trick," before I get a chance to continue Giovanni interrupts me. "That little thing down there? Are you trying to kill me?" I glare at him. "The trick is called ´the leap of faith´" he gulps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The actual "leap" will be next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Giovanni is about to learn 'The Leap of Faith' so hopefully he survives and hits the haystack without too much damage.

_He must have seen the small stack of hay below because his face whitens. "What I am going to teach you is that little trick," before I get a chance to continue Giovanni interrupts me. "That little thing down there?! Are you trying to kill me?!" I glare at him. "The trick is called ´the leap of faith´" he gulps._

_———_

"And how does that work?" I stand by the edge of the tower and looks back at him. "Simple, have 'Faith'. Have faith that you will hit the hay." He looks at me like I'm mad. I laugh at his expression. _To be honest if I had been in his shoes I would have thought me mad too._ "But down to business. Stand by the edge." He slowly walks to my side looking like he would rather walk the other way. "Extend your arms like this. And then you jump." I finish with a smile. He blinks and just looks at me. "It will come natural to you, I'm sure." He gulps and closes his eyes gathering up the nerve. "Oh! By the way, when you are about half way down, turn your body so you can land on your tail." His eyes snap open and he looks at me nervously. "What if I don't land in the hay?" I smile sheepishly. "Well… Then I'll be out of Italia faster then a swooping eagle." I turn my head away from him, looking down at the hay stack and mumble "He does have a point, maybe we should have started smaller…" I turn my head back to him. "I will go first, so, bouna fortuna and I will see you down there." I jump and land safely in the hay, I walk over to a shadowy corner and wait.  
A few moments pass before I hear the sound of rustling hay, I look over in time to see Giovanni climb out, and I walk over to him and place my hand on his shoulder. He looks at me and then up at the tower. "Dio mio, how did I do that?" he whispers. I clap his shoulder "I told you, it comes natural for you." I start to walk away and beckons him to join me. We join the streets again and Giovanni begins to hum slightly before he stops and looks at me with mischief dancing in his eyes. "How fast are you?" I raise my eyebrow "why?" I ask warily. "Let's race, old man." He laughs and runs off. _Why you little..._ I run after him and soon over take him.  
We end up at Ponte Vecchio Bridge with Giovanni panting heavily. "Who's an old man now huh?" I smirk. He looks at me suspiciously "how did you win?" I turn to look at him, my smirk turning into a wide grin. "Skill." I say simply. His eyes narrow "are your eyes purple?" He asks suddenly. I turn to look at the river. "Trick of the light." I answer shortly. "So you have secrets, I'll figure it out eventually." He vowed. _Many have tried my friend._

**Author's Note:**

> Any ideas to keep the story going will be welcome.


End file.
